¿Hundred council staff hit by swine flu

A HUNDRED Trafford council workers were off with suspected swine flu in a year. The staff - who include those working in schools - took time off because they were diagnosed by a doctor or filled out self-certification forms.

A HUNDRED Trafford council workers were off with suspected swine flu in a year.

The staff - who include those working in schools - took time off because they were diagnosed by a doctor or filled out self-certification forms.

The figures for November 1, 2008 to November 1, 2009 were obtained by Metro News under the Freedom of Information Act.

The swine flu epidemic has also hit emergency and health services.

Six police officers and civilian police staff serving in Trafford were diagnosed with confirmed cases of swine flu in the same period.

A further five members of staff were off due to suspected cases, in the same timeframe.

Two fire service workers in Trafford were also off sick with confirmed

cases while one person was off with a suspected case.

Trafford Healthcare NHS Trust, which runs the borough's three hospitals, said it had only recorded swine flu cases since August 2009 and that the statistics did not note whether such cases were suspected or confirmed.

The figures show 44 recorded cases - including two doctors and 12 nurses - between August and mid-November.

Councillor Alex Williams said the council had worked closely with health services to prevent the spread of swine flu, developing an online training course for staff, displaying posters and providing anti-bacterial handwash.

He added: "Trafford Council, as one of the largest employers in the

borough, invariably experienced some staff absence during the swine flu

outbreak, particularly at its start. Despite this, the council was able

to continue to deliver all of its services throughout.

"This was as a result of a number of factors, including effective infection control measures, implementation of pre-prepared plans for a pandemic and the commitment of our staff to minimising the impact on the community.

"The council is maintaining this procedure for the time being to help prevent the spread of the virus."